Korean Journal of Radiology

The Korean Society of Radiology (대한영상의학회)
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Determining and Managing Fetal Radiation Dose from Diagnostic Radiology Procedures in Turkey

  • Ozbayrak, Mustafa (Department of Medical Imaging Techniques, Istanbul University) ;
  • Cavdar, Iffet (Department of Nuclear Physics, Faculty of Science, Istanbul University) ;
  • Seven, Mehmet (Department of Medical Genetic, Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Istanbul University) ;
  • Uslu, Lebriz (Department of Nuclear Medicine, Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Istanbul University) ;
  • Yeyin, Nami (Department of Nuclear Medicine, Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Istanbul University) ;
  • Tanyildizi, Handan (Department of Nuclear Physics, Faculty of Science, Istanbul University) ;
  • Abuqbeitah, Mohammad (Department of Nuclear Medicine, Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Istanbul University) ;
  • Acikgoz, A. Serdar (Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Istanbul University) ;
  • Tuten, Abdullah (Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Istanbul University) ;
  • Demir, Mustafa (Department of Nuclear Medicine, Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Istanbul University)
  • Received : 2015.04.02
  • Accepted : 2015.08.02
  • Published : 2015.11.01
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Abstract

Objective: We intended to calculate approximate fetal doses in pregnant women who underwent diagnostic radiology procedures and to evaluate the safety of their pregnancies. Materials and Methods: We contacted hospitals in different cities in Turkey where requests for fetal dose calculation are usually sent. Fetal radiation exposure was calculated for 304 cases in 218 pregnant women with gestational ages ranging from 5 days to 19 weeks, 2 days. FetDose software (ver. 4.0) was used in fetal dose calculations for radiographic and computed tomography (CT) procedures. The body was divided into three zones according to distance from the fetus. The first zone consisted of the head area, the lower extremities below the knee, and the upper extremities; the second consisted of the cervicothoracic region and upper thighs; and the third consisted of the abdominopelvic area. Fetal doses from radiologic procedures between zones were compared using the Kruskal-Wallis test and a Bonferroni-corrected Mann-Whitney U-test. Results: The average fetal doses from radiography and CT in the first zone were $0.05{\pm}0.01mGy$ and $0.81{\pm}0.04mGy$, respectively; $0.21{\pm}0.05mGy$ and $1.77{\pm}0.22mGy$, respectively, in the second zone; and $6.42{\pm}0.82mGy$ and $22.94{\pm}1.28mGy$, respectively, in the third zone (p < 0.001). Our results showed that fetal radiation exposures in our group of pregnant women did not reach the level (50 mGy) that is known to increase risk for congenital anomalies. Conclusion: Fetal radiation exposure in the diagnostic radiology procedures in our study did not reach risk levels that might have indicated abortion.

Keywords

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